Present as a glyceride in animal fats and oils and in some vegetable oils; [Merck Index] Used as intermediate for metallic soaps and greases, household soap products, synthetic rubber vulcanization activators, and alkyd and epoxy resins for surface coatings; Also used in cosmetic and pharmaceutical creams and lotions, candles, phonograph records, dental materials, insulators, lubricants, shoe and metal polishes, coatings, food packaging, and modeling compounds; Also used as a synthetic rubber polymerization emulsifier, a release agent in baked goods and confectioneries, a dispersing agent and softener in rubber compounds, a paper sizing ingredient (specialty papers), a textile auxiliary, to make metal stearates (aluminum, zinc, etc.), for impregnating plaster of Paris, to aid incorporation and dispersion of zinc oxide in rubber and paint, and to cure polybutadiene; [HSDB] Stearic acid occurs naturally in human and animal fats and oils and in some vegetable oils, including cocoa oil. Stearic acid can be prepared from animal fat (triglyceride) by treating with water at high temperature, leading to hydrolysis of triglycerides, or by hydrogenation of unsaturated vegetable oils such as cottonseed oil." [ACGIH]

Category

Stearates

Description

Colorless or white solid; [HSDB] White flakes; [MSDSonline]

Sources/Uses

Present as a glyceride in animal fats and oils and in some vegetable oils; [Merck Index] Used as intermediate for metallic soaps and greases, household soap products, synthetic rubber vulcanization activators, and alkyd and epoxy resins for surface coatings; Also used in cosmetic and pharmaceutical creams and lotions, candles, phonograph records, dental materials, insulators, lubricants, shoe and metal polishes, coatings, food packaging, and modeling compounds; Also used as a synthetic rubber polymerization emulsifier, a release agent in baked goods and confectioneries, a dispersing agent and softener in rubber compounds, a paper sizing ingredient (specialty papers), a textile auxiliary, to make metal stearates (aluminum, zinc, etc.), for impregnating plaster of Paris, to aid incorporation and dispersion of zinc oxide in rubber and paint, and to cure polybutadiene; [HSDB] Stearic acid occurs naturally in human and animal fats and oils and in some vegetable oils, including cocoa oil. Stearic acid can be prepared from animal fat (triglyceride) by treating with water at high temperature, leading to hydrolysis of triglycerides, or by hydrogenation of unsaturated vegetable oils such as cottonseed oil." [ACGIH]